Woman Arraigned On Murder Charge; Crime Fueled By Facebook Argument

Torrie Lynn Emery, 23, of Pontiac, was ordered held without bond by 50th District Judge Preston Thomas. She is charged with second-degree murder, assault with intent to commit great bodily harm and child abuse.
The charges stem from a crash at Woodward Avenue and Rapid Street on Wednesday afternoon. Emery is accused of following a Ford Taurus driven by Alesha Abernathy, 21, and ramming the vehicle several times while northbound on Woodward.

In an attempt to evade Emery, Abernathy traveled at a high rate of speed, ran a red light and hit a small dump truck broadside. Abernathy was killed in the crash. Her passenger, Danielle Booth, 20, was listed in critical condition at a local hospital.

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“She wasn’t trying to kill anybody,” Tracy Emery screamed while sitting in front of the courthouse. “Please have mercy on her, Lord.”

The Facebook argument that led to the fatal crash was over a man who is in jail, family members said.

“The girl had been threatening her on Facebook,” Tracy Emery said, not mentioning which girl the argument was with. Police said Booth had filed a report against Emery on Tuesday, complaining that she was threatening and harassing her.

The victims were picking on her from the start of the incident, Tracy Emery said.

Tracy Emery said her daughter saw the victims at a McDonald’s, and the victims told Emery to follow them.

“I’m not asking that she don’t pay for her mistakes,” Tracy Emery said. “She made a mistake, but her intentions were not to kill nobody. Her intentions were to fight.